Memorizing a whole song

[RickH]

I was wondering if you guys had a technique for this. I do part of a song till i got it then move on and do the next part etc but retaining it seems to be a problem especially if i'm doing something else and want to quickly run through the 1st song ( maybe alzheimers came early lol) 

[robert]

Repeat, repeat. And do it often. 

I don't know of any other technique. Repetition is good. 

[DetroitBlues]

What's with the Enimem pic Robert?  Anyway, Practice, Repeat, and practice again.  The learn another song then go back, play the first, then the second.  Keep adding songs, but run through the playlist.

[Rick04901]

All the replies to this question have one thing in common: repitition, repitition, reptitition, repitition, repitition, reptitition. Oh, did I say repitition?

You'll get it!

[diaper head]

Repeat, repeat. And do it often. 

I don't know of any other technique. Repetition is good. 

boy, you can say that again! 

[sven]

Try to break down the song structure.  That helps me.  You know, 4 bars on A then comes the riff on D for two bars then another......You'll see the whole song structure is parts that can be broken down.  In other words a song is often just a few parts repeated.  The best example if this is Louie Louie.  So while a whole song may be 5 minutes long you only have to learn X amount of parts.  If you know how to make simple charts its even easier.

Charts are a visual aid to help you see what part of the song you're on.  If you can't read music then it can be as simple as:  main riff 4x verse 4X chorus 2x then main riff.  Etc.

I often listen to stuff in the car that I'm trying to learn.  Hearing it a lot (singing along) is a big part of getting it in your brain and then to the fingers.

Oh and I don't think anyone here mentioned practice or repetition.

[DetroitBlues]

Repetition is key.  I've been learning a couple dozen songs over the past two months.  Following along with a song helps you to remember what you are playing, but what I do is learn one song, play it back a few times.  Then I learn the next song, playing along with it.  I'll go back and play the first song, then the second.  I keep adding a song everytime I can play the "learned" songs without thinking about it.  Playing along with a backtrack or otherwise pre-recorded verision helps too.  In some occasions, I cannot hear the lyrics (for me that is key when knowing when to make chord/rhythm changes) I'll print out the lyrics and play along with the backtrack while following the lyrics.  Learn, play, repeat, add song, then start over again...

[Beth]

I started playing mandolin and for licks I memorize measure by measure and repeat it a lot. I do the same for guitar.  I have the most difficulty memorizing lyrics, and again, verse by verse, and lots of repetition. I also understand that if you practice it just before you go to bed you can learn if faster.

[Beth]

For lyrics, you have to do the song WITHOUT THE PAPER or you will never memorize it.  I learned that the hard way relying on a book and only having a handful of songs memorized.  For lyrics also play the song over and over will help...This may also help with the guitar part to get the song saturated into your brain.

[creekster52]

I have never been a very good student. When I try tabs or scales, my eyes involuntarily glaze over!
By the time I get it down, I'm so tired of it I don't want to play it anymore. I must confess that I am terrible when it comes to learning complete songs and I never really liked doing covers much.

I think that is why I like blues based music so much. Most of the time there is a solid, simple pattern with lots of room for improvisation. Learning the blues scale did seem to come easier for me though. Probably because so much of what I have listened to (ear training) is rooted in the blues scale.

[Beth]

I used to look at tabs...and my eyes glazed over too....not from boredom but from being overwhelmed.  What I've done with some songs is look at tab and maybe get key parts, maybe key riffs, and sometimes chords and triads thrown in, then improvise around it...creating my own version of the song.

It is true there's a lot of duplication in songs...once you've learned one part, you will play that part again, so you just have to remember when...ha ha.  Looking at the song structure does help, and I wish I was able to see that years ago...and take it piece by piece, which is not so overwhelming! 

[Beth]

   A friend took me out to the House of Blues to see Lucinda Williams-that was a treat. It was very interesting. We stood 15 feet away from her.   She played all open chords and sang, and had an amazing drummer, bass player, and a whiz of a lead guitar player. It was a good show. By the time they came on, the place was crowded...so we were lucky we stood where we were early...we were there before the opening act came out. 
   Lucinda Williams has won 3 grammies. I found it interesting that she had a lyrics book beside her...but she had it low to the left, and she turned each page as she went through the songs...funny...I've done that but I am working hard to memorize my songs now. the awful part is it's easy to forget the first line of a verse...so if you have to glance at the paper...you get the 1st line your are golden...she has it there just in case.  I hate forgetting lyrics. I've been trying to memorize the Thrill is Gone, a very simple song, but it's the last line of the verses that I forget on that song. Years ago I saw Billy Joel perform and he had a computer with the lyrics scrolling on the screen...interesting.  Barbara Streisand once forgot her lyrics and had such stage fright I think for years she wouldn't perform.
    Lucinda Williams is not a spring chicken, and it was refreshing to see a mature woman leading a band, making great music, and having a core of loyal fans.
    From now on as I take each song out to do I am going to memorize it.
    I don't know why it's easier for me to memorize licks than it is to memorize lyrics. It just takes hardcore repetition and then playing it over and over without the paper in front of you. Now I practice with the paper there but I turn away from the paper...and see which songs I can keep playing without looking at the paper.

[DetroitBlues]

Its funny that you mention the singer.  Unless is a older band basically playing their own greatest hits, most local bands will do that since they have to change their set list so often to keep their music fresh.  The lead singer in the band I was in did something like that, she also kept lyrics to all the songs even though for the first year, they only played a single set of about the same 10 songs!